Better Safe than Sorry

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Timothy Taylor
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Personal safety and the safety of others is crucial to on and off duty life. One important aspect of safety is sports safety. In fact, safety mishaps that occur during sports and recreational activities are some of the most common types of mishaps. It is the job of every Airman to watch out for them self and their fellow Airmen while participating in sports.

"There are five steps to maintaining personal safety when participating in physical activities," said Tech. Sgt. Xaviera McFadden, 39th Air Base Wing Safety, Safety Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge.

Step one is protective gear, which is anything worn that helps reduce the risk of injury. Protective gear may consist of eye protection, mouth guards, pads, wrist, elbow, and knee guards, and a helmet.

The helmet, however, is the most common and one of the most important pieces of protective gear to wear, said Sergeant McFadden. The helmet protects the head from injury during high impact sports or when an accident occurs during other activities like bicycle riding or skateboarding.

Although helmets are important, they only work when worn properly. When wearing a helmet, make sure that it fits securely and if it has a strap, that the strap is fastened correctly, she said.

"Step two is warming up; it's never a good idea to jump straight into a physical activity without stretching properly," said Sergeant McFadden. "One way of warming up is to take a light, slow paced jog to get the blood pumping though the body. Warm-ups that last 15 to 30 minutes and include slow, gradual stretching help lengthen muscles and increase blood flow and muscle temperature. That way, muscles are ready to go and are less likely to get hurt." 

Step three is knowing the rules before starting the activity. Knowing the rules and restrictions allows each individual to minimize the possibility of an accident and will allow each player to know what to expect from the other players, Sergeant McFadden said. 

Step four is to keep an eye out for each other; by remaining alert, a player reduces the chances of a mishap and may avoid a possible injury or help other players to avoid injury. 

"Being aware of your surroundings at all times during an activity will pay off and makes for a safe environment for all that participate," said Sergeant McFadden. 

"The final step is not playing while injured," said Maj. Ted Anderson, 39th Air Base Wing, Safety chief. "This is a very important step to follow. If an individual loves the activity he or she is playing, they may be tempted to jump back into action after injury. Playing while hurt, or before the injury has had the proper amount of time to fully heal is a good way to worsen an injury." 

Participating while injured could also cause a player to be sidelined longer than necessary had he or she allowed the injury to heal properly. "After sustaining an injury, seek medical assistance and abide by the limits and advice given by a medical expert," said Maj. Anderson.